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Consumers reduce load during Southcentral energy drill

A two-hour energy conservation effort among Southcentral Alaska utilities, local governments and consumers resulted in about a 1.5 percent drop in the energy load, Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan's office reported.

The drill was aimed at finding out how much energy could be conserved in case not enough natural gas can be delivered to the region at any point.

The test period was 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 30. Residents on the Kenai Peninsula, in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley and in Anchorage were asked to turn down thermostats, postpone doing the laundry, turn off unnecessary lights and otherwise conserve.

The amount conserved was estimated by comparing use during the same time on the day before the test and the day after.

The results show citizens can make a difference if there's a shortage, Sullivan said.